Pre-Roll Puff Topography vs. Cigarette Testing Protocols
Posted by Custom Cones USA on Aug 7th 2026
The latest findings in the world of pre-roll science not only confirms what many of us have known for some time, but moves the entire discipline forward and sets up a new, smarter path for cannabis research in the future.
A group of cannabis scientists, led by the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy recently released a new study on the "puff topography" of pre-rolls vs cigarettes, revealing that people smoke the two products very differently, which should change how all cannabis experiments are done going forward.
The Puff Topography Study
The experiment, which observed and characterized the inhalations of 62 different smokers at "naturalistic, social consumption settings" across five states. The data was analyzed for volumetric flow rate, puff duration, peak flow and total puff volume.
What it found was that there were three distinct "puff profiles" among the cannabis smokers, each of which were different from the classically understood "puffing protocols" of cigarette smokers and highlighting the "current limitations of cigarette-based puffing protocols to study cannabis-specific smoking in research settings" that use smoking machines.
According to the researchers, led by Dr. Miyabe Shields of the NAP, the current smoking machine methods "fail to capture and replicate the experience of cannabis consumption" because of the differences between how cigarette smokers and cannabis smokers inhale the product. And that can alter the concentrations and percentages of the chemicals found IN the smoke, including cannabinoids as well as any harmful compounds.
"Studying smoke chemistry is important because smoking remains a main method for many adult use and medical consumers," Shields said in an email, noting that prior studies on the subject have used protocols designed to mimic cigarette smoking, not pre-rolls.
Puff Profiles
The study found that pre-roll smokers generally fall into three "puff profiles:" intense, slow and double puff.
The "intense" profile includes a rapid peak flow, rapid decline of flow and a short duration. The "slow" profile is characterized by a longer duration and a more constant, sustained flow rate. And the "double puff" profile uses two closely spaced puffs within a single draw.
Smoking machines used by scientists to test cigarettes and pre-rolls generally use one of two similar profiles, ISO 3308 or the Health Canada Intense profile, created because smokers were compensating for "light" cigarettes.
Here is how the numbers line up:
Comparison of Smoking Machine Puff Topographies
| Puff Profile | Total Puff V (mL) | Total Time (s) | Time to Max Flow Rate (s) | Max Flow Rate (mL/s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Canada | 55 | 2 | N/A (bell shaped) | 27.5 |
| Cannabis - Intense | 59.3 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 41.7 |
| Cannabis RWD - Slow | 76.7 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 22.4 |
| Cannabis RWD - Double | 72.8 | 3.5 (1.7 x2) | 0.8 | 40.7, 41.8 |
And while those differences may not seem like much on paper, in the real world the different puff profiles generate different heat in the pre-roll and produce different cannabinoid and other chemical levels in the smoke, resulting in different experiences for the user.
And for medical users especially, those differences can be very important, which is why scientists will need to alter their tests moving forward.
"To better understand exposure and experience, more accurate protocols to study smoke chemistry must be developed and implemented," Shields said. "It's important for results in the laboratory to be applicable to real life."
What This Means for Pre-Roll Producers
For pre-roll producers and suppliers, the results of this and future studies by the NAP and the Cannabis Research Coalition, mean a better understanding of how their products are being used and what they can do in the future to make them better, pushing the category forward.
"Knowing how pre-roll smokers actually smoke their pre-rolls, and what that means for the cannabinoids, terpenes and harshness of the smoke, will allow producers to create better-smoking pre-rolls that deliver the experiences consumers are looking for," said Harrison Bard, co-founder and CEO of Custom Cones USA and DaySavers. "We look forward to seeing how these new profiles are used and what they can teach us about the future of the pre-roll category and the cannabis industry as a whole."
Studying smoke chemistry is important because smoking remains a main method for many adult use and medical consumers.